Non-League and Academy football writer

Newly promoted to step 6, PFC Victoria London were looking to go three games unbeaten in the league, when they faced London Samurai Rovers in a Combined Counties Football League Division One fixture, at Robert Parker Stadium on bank holiday Monday. This 11:30am kick off, started with PFC Victoria London in 18th place in the league, after five matches played. London Samurai Rovers started this match in 20th place, after having played six league matches. It was the home side, PFC Victoria London, who won this match 3-1. The game got off to a brilliant start for PFC Victoria London, as they took an early lead in the second minute of the match. Their captain Jakub Malczuk’s long throw-in from the left-hand side of the pitch wasn’t gathered properly by the London Samurai Rovers goalkeeper, Justin Ng. The goalkeeper had dropped the ball under pressure from PFC Victoria player Roman Virstiuk, with it going into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, 1-0.

There had been a good intensity to the game from PFC Victoria London, during its opening stages. However, the away side would almost respond instantly, soon after. With Fabio Mendes Galinho’s free-kick delivery from the right-hand side of the pitch, going over PFC Victoria’s goalkeeper, Milan Czerwonka. However, London Samurai Rovers’ captain Daniel Alawode’s header from close range, went over Milan Czerwonka’s goal. And then following a corner-kick for London Samurai Rovers, a low effort from 20 yards out was met by Daniel Alawode, in the centre of the PFC Victoria penalty area. However, the central defender’s effort went over the goal. PFC Victoria London were seeing more of the ball, and after centre-forward Arkadiusz Wilk had chested a lofted ball down to Kacper Kloc on the edge of the away team’s penalty area, his low effort on goal was gathered by Justin Ng.

Following a fast passing move from London Samurai Rovers down the right-hand side of the pitch, the ball was worked out to Daichi Nakata, inside of the PFC Victoria penalty area. However, his low effort was saved and gathered by Milan Czerwonka. PFC Victoria would then go onto create some more goalscoring chances. First of all Nataniel Zolnierek had received the ball on the edge of the away side’s penalty area, but he hit the ball over the goal, on the bounce. And then a couple of minutes later, Arkadiusz Wilk received a good pass down the left-hand side of the London Samurai Rovers box, before hitting an effort which went wide of the away team’s goal, via a deflection off a defender. From the resulting corner-kick, Jakub Matwiejszyn would meet the ball on the volley, but his effort from the edge of the penalty area went wide of the goal.

A couple of minutes after that effort from Jakub Matwiejszyn, Arkadiusz Wilk hit a side-footed free-kick effort from the edge of the London Samurai Rovers penalty area, over their goal. And then around four minutes later Arkadiusz Wilk received Makysmilian Potyrala’s pass with his back to goal, on the edge of the London Samurai Rovers penalty area. Arkadiusz Wilk turned around a defender, before travelling forward with the ball at pace, into the penalty area and then having a low effort on goal, which was saved by Justin Ng. However, the final chance of the second half came for London Samurai Rovers. As after Joshua Moerdyk had received a short pass from Fabio Mendes Galinho on the edge of PFC Victoria penalty area (Milan Czerwonka had rushed out of his goal to try and close down the angles), the centre-forward would hit a lofted effort over the goal.

The second half of the game was similar to the first half, in the sense that PFC Victoria had started it well and at a good intensity. And after Makysmilian Potyrala had an effort from the edge of the visiting side’s penalty area, which was saved and gathered by Justin Ng, PFC Victoria created another good and well worked chance. Jakub Malczuk’s short pass found Kacper Kloc on the left-hand side of the away team’s box and he would then square the ball to Arkadiusz Wilk, in the centre of the penalty area. However, Wilk’s low and early effort was kept out well by Justin Ng. However, shortly after Nataniel Zolnierek had hit a low effort, from the edge of the London Samurai Rovers box, wide of their goal, in the 54th minute of the match the home team doubled their lead. The goal once again came from a set-piece, as this time Kacper Kloc’s corner-kick delivery to the near post, came off London Samurai Rovers goalkeeper Justin Ng, as he attempted to clear the ball, but he was unable to stop it from going into the goal, 2-0.

Shortly after the hardworking and impressive Roman Virstiuk had hit a powerful effort from distance, wide of the London Samurai Rovers goal, the away side got a goal back in the match. A well worked move resulted in London Samurai Rovers progressing the ball forward, as Takahiro Asai’s well delivered low cross from the right flank, found Moez Altayeb Mohamed, just inside of the PFC Victoria penalty area, from where he finished low into the goal, 2-1. Just over ten minutes later (following a quiet spell in the match) however, PFC Victoria regained their two goal lead. The influential Jakub Malczuk’s long throw-in into the centre of the away side’s penalty area, was headed partially clear by a defender, but only to Nataniel Zolnierek, at the back post. And from close range Zolnierek volleyed the ball into the roof of the goal, 3-1. 

PFC Victoria London would see out the remaining minutes of the match well, with the exception of a free-kick effort from distance by Fabio Mendes Galinho, which went over their goal. This was a good and professional performance from PFC Victoria London, who played some really fine passing football against London Samurai Rovers, and they managed the game well. There were a number of contenders for my player of the match, such as Roman Virstiuk, Jakub Matwiejszyn, Arkadiusz Wilk and Nataniel Zolnierek. However, for me the player of the match was PFC Victoria London’s vastly experienced captain, Jakub Malczuk. Playing in central midfield, the 40 year old provided two assists on the day, but he used the ball well and he did some really fine work in the central areas of the pitch.

For London Samurai Rovers, I was very impressed by their captain’s (Daniel Alawode) performance in central defence. I thought that he read and anticipated the play well, and he made several good defensive decisions on the day.